Gluten Free Cookery

Learn how to make bread, pastry and treats, with a day of gluten-free baking at the River Cottage Cookery School.

Don’t miss out on your favourite bakes! Led by nutritionist and gluten-free expert Naomi Devlin, our one-day Gluten Free Cookery course is a perfect introduction to gluten-free recipes, set amidst the beautiful Devon countryside at River Cottage HQ.

With a combination of hands-on cookery and educational demonstrations, the day will teach you about gluten-free flours and healthy alternatives for food intolerances, and leave you inspired to create your own delicious free-from bread, pasties and other dishes at home.

“I found the information Naomi shared to be the best thing about the day. Her natural style and self-confessed geekiness about nutrition meant that I couldn't help but be enthused about the possibilities of gluten-free baking.” – Caleigh, Gluten Free(k). Read her review of Gluten Free Cookery at River Cottage here.

“Absolutely superb day at River Cottage with the lovely Naomi. A great balance of education, fun and hands-on experience.”DLF1964, Trip Advisor.

Gluten Free Cookery

This was an excellent, interesting, informative day with plenty of practical experience. I came away feeling much more confident! Thank you!

Kathryn
Attended 11 February 2019

5.0 out of 5

Gluten Free Cookery

What an amazing course, gave me back my baking confidence. Having only gone gluten free a year ago I was completely lost with how to bake without wheat flour, I was an avid baker before and couldn’t quite let go of what I knew and was stuck. Naomi has opened baking up to me...

Liz
Attended 15 October 2018

5.0 out of 5

Your day

09:30
-
17:00

Arrive at River Cottage

You’ll be met at the top of the hill at 9.30am and transported to River Cottage HQ by tractor and trailer (approx. a 5 minute journey).

Make yourself at home

You will meet your host, Naomi Devlin, and start the day with tea, coffee and treats fresh from the kitchen (gluten-free of course).

Practical session one

To kick things off, you’ll make a digestive biscuit dough and pop it in the fridge to chill for later, when we will roll out, cut, chill and then bake into crisp, buttery fingers.

Practical session two

Naomi will talk you through the intricacies of gluten free sourdough starters and demonstrate feeding and keeping your new pet so it’s as bubbly and yeasty as possible. Then you’ll make your very own sourdough loaf (as true sourdough is a long process, we’ll add a bit of yeast on the day to make it rise more quickly so you can take home freshly baked bread).

Practical session three

You’ll learn the secrets of tasty gluten-free pastry that doesn’t crumble and make a batch to use later for a savoury pasty or free-form galette.

Lunch

Food is always the focus at River Cottage, and a two-course lunch of local, seasonal fare will be one of the highlights of your day.

Practical session four

Nutrition and living gluten-free

Throughout the day, Naomi will talk about the different varieties of gluten-free flours and how to use them in the most nutritious ways. There will be plenty of opportunities for Naomi to answer your questions as the day progresses.

Practical session five

Next you will make make delicious savoury pasties or free-form sweet or savoury galette, depending on what is in season.

Demo session

Naomi will demonstrate a wholesome chapatti dough to share with the group.

Practical session six

Time to roll out your chapattis and watch them magically puff up as they cook. Then fortify yourself for the journey home with some delicious curry, raita and pickles made by the River Cottage chefs, scooped up with your soft, fresh chapattis.

Practical session seven

Time to let your inner child out to play as you drizzle your digestives with chocolate and cover them with toasted nuts and juicy raisins.

Q&A

By now you will be probably be bursting with questions, so this will be your opportunity to take away some of Naomi’s expert advice for successful gluten-free cooking at home.

Departure

There will be time to chat to Naomi and your fellow scholars and get your books signed, before being whisked back up the hill by our tractor and trailer (at 5pm), delicious bakes in hand.

Please note: This is a guide to the activities
that will make up your course at River Cottage. This
is by no means set in stone and will depend on
seasonal availability.

On occasion cookery schools will use equipment
that includes induction hobs. It is recommended
that people with pace makers should not work on
these units. If you are concerned or would like
to check whether or not induction hobs will be
used on the course you are interested in, please
call us on 01297 630302.

We would advise that this course is only really
suitable for 12 years of age and upwards. Under 16s
must be accompanied by an adult.
We put these guidelines in place for the
safety, comfort and enjoyment of all our guests.

The gluten-free ingredients used during the day may include: rice, cocoa, teff, sorghum, millet, chickpea, buckwheat, maize, potato starch, tapioca, almond, hazelnut, sesame and chestnut. The course is not suitable for those with nut allergies, although a nut intolerance may be possible to accommodate if you can tolerate sunflower or pumpkin seeds or coconut or oats. The day cannot be adapted for those with a grain-free diet. The course can be adapted for a low FODMAP diet, but please let us know if you cannot tolerate cocoa/chocolate, apple, pear or rhubarb. Cookies will be made with muscovado sugar, if you are diabetic please advise if you would like to use erythritol. Please let us know in advance if you have an egg intolerance so that we can cater for this. If you have a dairy intolerance, please be specific about exactly what you cannot tolerate so we can tailor the day accordingly.

With many of our courses there are often treats and
leftovers to take away with you. In our quest to be more
sustainable we are encouraging guests to bring their own
containers and bags to transport their produce home.
Details of what is required for each course will be
included in booking emails.

Sustainable Restaurant Association

Food and Travel Magazine 2017

Great British Food Awards 2017

Great British Food Awards 2018

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